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Gulliver’s Travels By Johnathan Swift


THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER.

[As given in the original edition.]

The author of these Travels, Mr. Lemuel Gulliver, is my

ancient and intimate friend; there is likewise some relation

between us on the mother’s side. About three years ago,

Mr. Gulliver growing weary of the concourse of curious

people coming to him at his house in Redriff, made a small

purchase of land, with a convenient house, near Newark, in

Nottinghamshire, his native country; where he now lives

retired, yet in good esteem among his neighbours.


Although Mr. Gulliver was born in Nottinghamshire, where

his father dwelt, yet I have heard him say his family came

from Oxfordshire; to confirm which, I have observed in the

churchyard at Banbury in that county, several tombs and

monuments of the Gullivers.

Before he quitted Redriff, he left the custody of the

following papers in my hands, with the liberty to dispose of

them as I should think fit. I have carefully perused them

three times. The style is very plain and simple; and the only

fault I find is, that the author, after the manner of

travellers, is a little too circumstantial. There is an air of

truth apparent through the whole; and indeed the author

was so distinguished for his veracity, that it became a sort

of proverb among his neighbours at Redriff, when any one

affirmed a thing, to say, it was as true as if Mr. Gulliver had

spoken it.

By the advice of several worthy persons, to whom, with the

author’s permission, I communicated these papers, I now

venture to send them into the world, hoping they may be,


at least for some time, a better entertainment to our young

noblemen, than the common scribbles of politics and party.

This volume would have been at least twice as large, if I had

not made bold to strike out innumerable passages relating

to the winds and tides, as well as to the variations and

bearings in the several voyages, together with the minute

descriptions of the management of the ship in storms, in

the style of sailors; likewise the account of longitudes and

latitudes; wherein I have reason to apprehend, that Mr.

Gulliver may be a little dissatisfied. But I was resolved to fit

the work as much as possible to the general capacity of

readers. However, if my own ignorance in sea affairs shall

have led me to commit some mistakes, I alone am

answerable for them. And if any traveller hath a curiosity

to see the whole work at large, as it came from the hands

of the author, I will be ready to gratify him.

As for any further particulars relating to the author, the

reader will receive satisfaction from the first pages of the

book.


RICHARD SYMPSON.


A LETTER FROM CAPTAIN GULLIVER TO HIS COUSIN

SYMPSON.

Written in the Year 1727.

I hope you will be ready to own publicly, whenever you

shall be called to it, that by your great and frequent urgency

you prevailed on me to publish a very loose and uncorrect

account of my travels, with directions to hire some young

gentleman of either university to put them in order, and

correct the style, as my cousin Dampier did, by my advice,

in his book called “A Voyage round the world.” But I do not

remember I gave you power to consent that any thing

should be omitted, and much less that any thing should be

inserted; therefore, as to the latter, I do here renounce

every thing of that kind; particularly a paragraph about her

majesty Queen Anne, of most pious and glorious memory;

although I did reverence and esteem her more than any of

human species. But you, or your interpolator, ought to


have considered, that it was not my inclination, so was it

not decent to praise any animal of our composition before

my master Houyhnhnm: And besides, the fact was

altogether false; for to my knowledge, being in England

during some part of her majesty’s reign, she did govern by a

chief minister; nay even by two successively, the first

whereof was the lord of Godolphin, and the second the lord

of Oxford; so that you have made me say the thing that was

not. Likewise in the account of the academy of projectors,

and several passages of my discourse to my master

Houyhnhnm, you have either omitted some material

circumstances, or minced or changed them in such a

manner, that I do hardly know my own work. When I

formerly hinted to you something of this in a letter, you

were pleased to answer that you were afraid of giving

offence; that people in power were very watchful over the

press, and apt not only to interpret, but to punish every

thing which looked like an innuendo (as I think you call it).

But, pray how could that which I spoke so many years ago,

and at about five thousand leagues distance, in another


reign, be applied to any of the Yahoos, who now are said to

govern the herd; especially at a time when I little thought,

or feared, the unhappiness of living under them? Have not

I the most reason to complain, when I see these very

Yahoos carried by Houyhnhnms in a vehicle, as if they were

brutes, and those the rational creatures? And indeed to

avoid so monstrous and detestable a sight was one

principal motive of my retirement hither.

Thus much I thought proper to tell you in relation to

yourself, and to the trust I reposed in you.

I do, in the next place, complain of my own great want of

judgment, in being prevailed upon by the entreaties and

false reasoning of you and some others, very much against

my own opinion, to suffer my travels to be published. Pray

bring to your mind how often I desired you to consider,

when you insisted on the motive of public good, that the

Yahoos were a species of animals utterly incapable of

amendment by precept or example: and so it has proved;

for, instead of seeing a full stop put to all abuses and


corruptions, at least in this little island, as I had reason to

expect; behold, after above six months warning, I cannot

learn that my book has produced one single effect

according to my intentions. I desired you would let me

know, by a letter, when party and faction were

extinguished; judges learned and upright; pleaders honest

and modest, with some tincture of common sense, and

Smithfield blazing with pyramids of law books; the young

nobility’s education entirely changed; the physicians

banished; the female Yahoos abounding in virtue, honour,

truth, and good sense; courts and levees of great ministers

thoroughly weeded and swept; wit, merit, and learning

rewarded; all disgracers of the press in prose and verse

condemned to eat nothing but their own cotton, and

quench their thirst with their own ink. These, and a

thousand other reformations, I firmly counted upon by your

encouragement; as indeed they were plainly deducible

from the precepts delivered in my book. And it must be

owned, that seven months were a sufficient time to correct

every vice and folly to which Yahoos are subject, if their


natures had been capable of the least disposition to virtue

or wisdom. Yet, so far have you been from answering my

expectation in any of your letters; that on the contrary you

are loading our carrier every week with libels, and keys, and

reflections, and memoirs, and second parts; wherein I see

myself accused of reflecting upon great state folk; of

degrading human nature (for so they have still the

confidence to style it), and of abusing the female sex. I find

likewise that the writers of those bundles are not agreed

among themselves; for some of them will not allow me to

be the author of my own travels; and others make me

author of books to which I am wholly a stranger.

I find likewise that your printer has been so careless as to

confound the times, and mistake the dates, of my several

voyages and returns; neither assigning the true year, nor

the true month, nor day of the month: and I hear the

original manuscript is all destroyed since the publication of

my book; neither have I any copy left: however, I have sent

you some corrections, which you may insert, if ever there

should be a second edition: and yet I cannot stand to them;


but shall leave that matter to my judicious and candid

readers to adjust it as they please.

I hear some of our sea Yahoos find fault with my sea-‐

language, as not proper in many parts, nor now in use. I

cannot help it. In my first voyages, while I was young, I was

instructed by the oldest mariners, and learned to speak as

they did. But I have since found that the sea Yahoos are

apt, like the land ones, to become new-‐fangled in their

words, which the latter change every year; insomuch, as I

remember upon each return to my own country their old

dialect was so altered, that I could hardly understand the

new. And I observe, when any Yahoo comes from London

out of curiosity to visit me at my house, we neither of us

are able to deliver our conceptions in a manner intelligible

to the other.

If the censure of the Yahoos could any way affect me, I

should have great reason to complain, that some of them

are so bold as to think my book of travels a mere fiction out

of mine own brain, and have gone so far as to drop hints,


that the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos have no more existence

than the inhabitants of Utopia.

Indeed I must confess, that as to the people of Lilliput,

Brobdingrag (for so the word should have been spelt, and

not erroneously Brobdingnag), and Laputa, I have never yet

heard of any Yahoo so presumptuous as to dispute their

being, or the facts I have related concerning them; because

the truth immediately strikes every reader with conviction.

And is there less probability in my account of the

Houyhnhnms or Yahoos, when it is manifest as to the latter,

there are so many thousands even in this country, who only

differ from their brother brutes in Houyhnhnmland,

because they use a sort of jabber, and do not go naked? I

wrote for their amendment, and not their approbation.

The united praise of the whole race would be of less

consequence to me, than the neighing of those two

degenerate Houyhnhnms I keep in my stable; because from

these, degenerate as they are, I still improve in some

virtues without any mixture of vice.


Do these miserable animals presume to think, that I am so

degenerated as to defend my veracity? Yahoo as I am, it is

well known through all Houyhnhnmland, that, by the

instructions and example of my illustrious master, I was

able in the compass of two years (although I confess with

the utmost difficulty) to remove that infernal habit of lying,

shuffling, deceiving, and equivocating, so deeply rooted in

the very souls of all my species; especially the Europeans.

I have other complaints to make upon this vexatious

occasion; but I forbear troubling myself or you any further.

I must freely confess, that since my last return, some

corruptions of my Yahoo nature have revived in me by

conversing with a few of your species, and particularly

those of my own family, by an unavoidable necessity; else I

should never have attempted so absurd a project as that of

reforming the Yahoo race in this kingdom: But I have now

done with all such visionary schemes for ever.

April 2, 1727


PART I. A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT.

CHAPTER I.

The author gives some account of himself and family.

His first inducements to travel. He is shipwrecked, and

swims for his life. Gets safe on shore in the country of

Lilliput; is made a prisoner, and carried up the country.

My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire: I was the

third of five sons. He sent me to Emanuel College in

Cambridge at fourteen years old, where I resided three

years, and applied myself close to my studies; but the

charge of maintaining me, although I had a very scanty

allowance, being too great for a narrow fortune, I was

bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon

in London, with whom I continued four years. My father

now and then sending me small sums of money, I laid them

out in learning navigation, and other parts of the

mathematics, useful to those who intend to travel, as I


always believed it would be, some time or other, my

fortune to do. When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my

father: where, by the assistance of him and my uncle John,

and some other relations, I got forty pounds, and a promise

of thirty pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden: there I

studied physic two years and seven months, knowing it

would be useful in long voyages.

Soon after my return from Leyden, I was recommended by

my good master, Mr. Bates, to be surgeon to the Swallow,

Captain Abraham Pannel, commander; with whom I

continued three years and a half, making a voyage or two

into the Levant, and some other parts. When I came back I

resolved to settle in London; to which Mr. Bates, my

master, encouraged me, and by him I was recommended to

several patients. I took part of a small house in the Old

Jewry; and being advised to alter my condition, I married

Mrs. Mary Burton, second daughter to Mr. Edmund Burton,

hosier, in Newgate-‐street, with whom I received four

hundred pounds for a portion.


But my good master Bates dying in two years after, and I

having few friends, my business began to fail; for my

conscience would not suffer me to imitate the bad practice

of too many among my brethren. Having therefore

consulted with my wife, and some of my acquaintance, I

determined to go again to sea. I was surgeon successively

in two ships, and made several voyages, for six years, to the

East and West Indies, by which I got some addition to my

fortune. My hours of leisure I spent in reading the best

authors, ancient and modern, being always provided with a

good number of books; and when I was ashore, in

observing the manners and dispositions of the people, as

well as learning their language; wherein I had a great

facility, by the strength of my memory.

The last of these voyages not proving very fortunate, I grew

weary of the sea, and intended to stay at home with my

wife and family. I removed from the Old Jewry to Fetter

Lane, and from thence to Wapping, hoping to get business

among the sailors; but it would not turn to account. After

three years expectation that things would mend, I accepted


an advantageous offer from Captain William Prichard,

master of the Antelope, who was making a voyage to the

South Sea. We set sail from Bristol, May 4, 1699, and our

voyage was at first very prosperous.

It would not be proper, for some reasons, to trouble the

reader with the particulars of our adventures in those seas;

let it suffice to inform him, that in our passage from thence

to the East Indies, we were driven by a violent storm to the

north-‐west of Van Diemen’s Land. By an observation, we

found ourselves in the latitude of 30 degrees 2 minutes

south. Twelve of our crew were dead by immoderate

labour and ill food; the rest were in a very weak condition.

On the 5th of November, which was the beginning of

summer in those parts, the weather being very hazy, the

seamen spied a rock within half a cable’s length of the ship;

but the wind was so strong, that we were driven directly

upon it, and immediately split. Six of the crew, of whom I

was one, having let down the boat into the sea, made a

shift to get clear of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by my

computation, about three leagues, till we were able to work


no longer, being already spent with labour while we were in

the ship. We therefore trusted ourselves to the mercy of

the waves, and in about half an hour the boat was overset

by a sudden flurry from the north. What became of my

companions in the boat, as well as of those who escaped on

the rock, or were left in the vessel, I cannot tell; but

conclude they were all lost. For my own part, I swam as

fortune directed me, and was pushed forward by wind and

tide. I often let my legs drop, and could feel no bottom; but

when I was almost gone, and able to struggle no longer, I

found myself within my depth; and by this time the storm

was much abated. The declivity was so small, that I walked

near a mile before I got to the shore, which I conjectured

was about eight o’clock in the evening. I then advanced

forward near half a mile, but could not discover any sign of

houses or inhabitants; at least I was in so weak a condition,

that I did not observe them. I was extremely tired, and

with that, and the heat of the weather, and about half a

pint of brandy that I drank as I left the ship, I found myself

much inclined to sleep. I lay down on the grass, which was


very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I

remembered to have done in my life, and, as I reckoned,

about nine hours; for when I awaked, it was just day-‐light. I

attempted to rise, but was not able to stir: for, as I

happened to lie on my back, I found my arms and legs were

strongly fastened on each side to the ground; and my hair,

which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner. I

likewise felt several slender ligatures across my body, from

my arm-‐pits to my thighs. I could only look upwards; the

sun began to grow hot, and the light offended my eyes. I

heard a confused noise about me; but in the posture I lay,

could see nothing except the sky. In a little time I felt

something alive moving on my left leg, which advancing

gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin;

when, bending my eyes downwards as much as I could, I

perceived it to be a human creature not six inches high,

with a bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver at his

back. In the mean time, I felt at least forty more of the

same kind (as I conjectured) following the first. I was in the

utmost astonishment, and roared so loud, that they all ran


back in a fright; and some of them, as I was afterwards told,

were hurt with the falls they got by leaping from my sides

upon the ground. However, they soon returned, and one of

them, who ventured so far as to get a full sight of my face,

lifting up his hands and eyes by way of admiration, cried

out in a shrill but distinct voice, Hekinah degul: the others

repeated the same words several times, but then I knew

not what they meant. I lay all this while, as the reader may

believe, in great uneasiness. At length, struggling to get

loose, I had the fortune to break the strings, and wrench

out the pegs that fastened my left arm to the ground; for,

by lifting it up to my face, I discovered the methods they

had taken to bind me, and at the same time with a violent

pull, which gave me excessive pain, I a little loosened the

strings that tied down my hair on the left side, so that I was

just able to turn my head about two inches. But the

creatures ran off a second time, before I could seize them;

whereupon there was a great shout in a very shrill accent,

and after it ceased I heard one of them cry aloud Tolgo

phonac; when in an instant I felt above a hundred arrows


discharged on my left hand, which, pricked me like so many

needles; and besides, they shot another flight into the air,

as we do bombs in Europe, whereof many, I suppose, fell

on my body, (though I felt them not), and some on my face,

which I immediately covered with my left hand. When this

shower of arrows was over, I fell a groaning with grief and

pain; and then striving again to get loose, they discharged

another volley larger than the first, and some of them

attempted with spears to stick me in the sides; but by good

luck I had on a buff jerkin, which they could not pierce. I

thought it the most prudent method to lie still, and my

design was to continue so till night, when, my left hand

being already loose, I could easily free myself: and as for

the inhabitants, I had reason to believe I might be a match

for the greatest army they could bring against me, if they

were all of the same size with him that I saw. But fortune

disposed otherwise of me. When the people observed I

was quiet, they discharged no more arrows; but, by the

noise I heard, I knew their numbers increased; and about

four yards from me, over against my right ear, I heard a


knocking for above an hour, like that of people at work;

when turning my head that way, as well as the pegs and

strings would permit me, I saw a stage erected about a foot

and a half from the ground, capable of holding four of the

inhabitants, with two or three ladders to mount it: from

whence one of them, who seemed to be a person of

quality, made me a long speech, whereof I understood not

one syllable. But I should have mentioned, that before the

principal person began his oration, he cried out three times,

Langro dehul san (these words and the former were

afterwards repeated and explained to me); whereupon,

immediately, about fifty of the inhabitants came and cut

the strings that fastened the left side of my head, which

gave me the liberty of turning it to the right, and of

observing the person and gesture of him that was to speak.

He appeared to be of a middle age, and taller than any of

the other three who attended him, whereof one was a page

that held up his train, and seemed to be somewhat longer

than my middle finger; the other two stood one on each

side to support him. He acted every part of an orator, and I


could observe many periods of threatenings, and others of

promises, pity, and kindness. I answered in a few words,

but in the most submissive manner, lifting up my left hand,

and both my eyes to the sun, as calling him for a witness;

and being almost famished with hunger, having not eaten a

morsel for some hours before I left the ship, I found the

demands of nature so strong upon me, that I could not

forbear showing my impatience (perhaps against the strict

rules of decency) by putting my finger frequently to my

mouth, to signify that I wanted food. The hurgo (for so

they call a great lord, as I afterwards learnt) understood me

very well. He descended from the stage, and commanded

that several ladders should be applied to my sides, on

which above a hundred of the inhabitants mounted and

walked towards my mouth, laden with baskets full of meat,

which had been provided and sent thither by the king’s

orders, upon the first intelligence he received of me. I

observed there was the flesh of several animals, but could

not distinguish them by the taste. There were shoulders,

legs, and loins, shaped like those of mutton, and very well


dressed, but smaller than the wings of a lark. I ate them by

two or three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time,

about the bigness of musket bullets. They supplied me as

fast as they could, showing a thousand marks of wonder

and astonishment at my bulk and appetite. I then made

another sign, that I wanted drink. They found by my eating

that a small quantity would not suffice me; and being a

most ingenious people, they slung up, with great dexterity,

one of their largest hogsheads, then rolled it towards my

hand, and beat out the top; I drank it off at a draught,

which I might well do, for it did not hold half a pint, and

tasted like a small wine of Burgundy, but much more

delicious. They brought me a second hogshead, which I

drank in the same manner, and made signs for more; but

they had none to give me. When I had performed these

wonders, they shouted for joy, and danced upon my breast,

repeating several times as they did at first, Hekinah degul.

They made me a sign that I should throw down the two

hogsheads, but first warning the people below to stand out

of the way, crying aloud, Borach mevolah; and when they


saw the vessels in the air, there was a universal shout of

Hekinah degul. I confess I was often tempted, while they

were passing backwards and forwards on my body, to seize

forty or fifty of the first that came in my reach, and dash

them against the ground. But the remembrance of what I

had felt, which probably might not be the worst they could

do, and the promise of honour I made them—for so I

interpreted my submissive behaviour—soon drove out

these imaginations. Besides, I now considered myself as

bound by the laws of hospitality, to a people who had

treated me with so much expense and magnificence.

However, in my thoughts I could not sufficiently wonder at

the intrepidity of these diminutive mortals, who durst

venture to mount and walk upon my body, while one of my

hands was at liberty, without trembling at the very sight of

so prodigious a creature as I must appear to them. After

some time, when they observed that I made no more

demands for meat, there appeared before me a person of

high rank from his imperial majesty. His excellency, having

mounted on the small of my right leg, advanced forwards


up to my face, with about a dozen of his retinue; and

producing his credentials under the signet royal, which he

applied close to my eyes, spoke about ten minutes without

any signs of anger, but with a kind of determinate

resolution, often pointing forwards, which, as I afterwards

found, was towards the capital city, about half a mile

distant; whither it was agreed by his majesty in council that

I must be conveyed. I answered in few words, but to no

purpose, and made a sign with my hand that was loose,

putting it to the other (but over his excellency’s head for

fear of hurting him or his train) and then to my own head

and body, to signify that I desired my liberty. It appeared

that he understood me well enough, for he shook his head

by way of disapprobation, and held his hand in a posture to

show that I must be carried as a prisoner. However, he

made other signs to let me understand that I should have

meat and drink enough, and very good treatment.

Whereupon I once more thought of attempting to break my

bonds; but again, when I felt the smart of their arrows upon

my face and hands, which were all in blisters, and many of


the darts still sticking in them, and observing likewise that

the number of my enemies increased, I gave tokens to let

them know that they might do with me what they pleased.

Upon this, the hurgo and his train withdrew, with much

civility and cheerful countenances. Soon after I heard a

general shout, with frequent repetitions of the words

Peplom selan; and I felt great numbers of people on my left

side relaxing the cords to such a degree, that I was able to

turn upon my right, and to ease myself with making water;

which I very plentifully did, to the great astonishment of the

people; who, conjecturing by my motion what I was going

to do, immediately opened to the right and left on that

side, to avoid the torrent, which fell with such noise and

violence from me. But before this, they had daubed my

face and both my hands with a sort of ointment, very

pleasant to the smell, which, in a few minutes, removed all

the smart of their arrows. These circumstances, added to

the refreshment I had received by their victuals and drink,

which were very nourishing, disposed me to sleep. I slept

about eight hours, as I was afterwards assured; and it was


no wonder, for the physicians, by the emperor’s order, had

mingled a sleepy potion in the hogsheads of wine.

It seems, that upon the first moment I was discovered

sleeping on the ground, after my landing, the emperor had

early notice of it by an express; and determined in council,

that I should be tied in the manner I have related, (which

was done in the night while I slept;) that plenty of meat and

drink should be sent to me, and a machine prepared to

carry me to the capital city.

This resolution perhaps may appear very bold and

dangerous, and I am confident would not be imitated by

any prince in Europe on the like occasion. However, in my

opinion, it was extremely prudent, as well as generous: for,

supposing these people had endeavoured to kill me with

their spears and arrows, while I was asleep, I should

certainly have awaked with the first sense of smart, which

might so far have roused my rage and strength, as to have

enabled me to break the strings wherewith I was tied; after

which, as they were not able to make resistance, so they


could expect no mercy.

These people are most excellent mathematicians, and

arrived to a great perfection in mechanics, by the

countenance and encouragement of the emperor, who is a

renowned patron of learning. This prince has several

machines fixed on wheels, for the carriage of trees and

other great weights. He often builds his largest men of war,

whereof some are nine feet long, in the woods where the

timber grows, and has them carried on these engines three

or four hundred yards to the sea. Five hundred carpenters

and engineers were immediately set at work to prepare the

greatest engine they had. It was a frame of wood raised

three inches from the ground, about seven feet long, and

four wide, moving upon twenty-‐two wheels. The shout I

heard was upon the arrival of this engine, which, it seems,

set out in four hours after my landing. It was brought

parallel to me, as I lay. But the principal difficulty was to

raise and place me in this vehicle. Eighty poles, each of one

foot high, were erected for this purpose, and very strong

cords, of the bigness of packthread, were fastened by


hooks to many bandages, which the workmen had girt

round my neck, my hands, my body, and my legs. Nine

hundred of the strongest men were employed to draw up

these cords, by many pulleys fastened on the poles; and

thus, in less than three hours, I was raised and slung into

the engine, and there tied fast. All this I was told; for, while

the operation was performing, I lay in a profound sleep, by

the force of that soporiferous medicine infused into my

liquor. Fifteen hundred of the emperor’s largest horses,

each about four inches and a half high, were employed to

draw me towards the metropolis, which, as I said, was half

a mile distant.

About four hours after we began our journey, I awaked by a

very ridiculous accident; for the carriage being stopped a

while, to adjust something that was out of order, two or

three of the young natives had the curiosity to see how I

looked when I was asleep; they climbed up into the engine,

and advancing very softly to my face, one of them, an

officer in the guards, put the sharp end of his half-‐pike a

good way up into my left nostril, which tickled my nose like


a straw, and made me sneeze violently; whereupon they

stole off unperceived, and it was three weeks before I knew

the cause of my waking so suddenly. We made a long

march the remaining part of the day, and, rested at night

with five hundred guards on each side of me, half with

torches, and half with bows and arrows, ready to shoot me

if I should offer to stir. The next morning at sun-‐rise we

continued our march, and arrived within two hundred yards

of the city gates about noon. The emperor, and all his

court, came out to meet us; but his great officers would by

no means suffer his majesty to endanger his person by

mounting on my body.

At the place where the carriage stopped there stood an

ancient temple, esteemed to be the largest in the whole

kingdom; which, having been polluted some years before

by an unnatural murder, was, according to the zeal of those

people, looked upon as profane, and therefore had been

applied to common use, and all the ornaments and

furniture carried away. In this edifice it was determined I

should lodge. The great gate fronting to the north was


about four feet high, and almost two feet wide, through

which I could easily creep. On each side of the gate was a

small window, not above six inches from the ground: into

that on the left side, the king’s smith conveyed fourscore

and eleven chains, like those that hang to a lady’s watch in

Europe, and almost as large, which were locked to my left

leg with six-‐and-‐thirty padlocks. Over against this temple,

on the other side of the great highway, at twenty feet

distance, there was a turret at least five feet high. Here the

emperor ascended, with many principal lords of his court,

to have an opportunity of viewing me, as I was told, for I

could not see them. It was reckoned that above a hundred

thousand inhabitants came out of the town upon the same

errand; and, in spite of my guards, I believe there could not

be fewer than ten thousand at several times, who mounted

my body by the help of ladders. But a proclamation was

soon issued, to forbid it upon pain of death. When the

workmen found it was impossible for me to break loose,

they cut all the strings that bound me; whereupon I rose

up, with as melancholy a disposition as ever I had in my


life. But the noise and astonishment of the people, at

seeing me rise and walk, are not to be expressed. The

chains that held my left leg were about two yards long, and

gave me not only the liberty of walking backwards and

forwards in a semicircle, but, being fixed within four inches

of the gate, allowed me to creep in, and lie at my full length

in the temple.

CHAPTER II.

The emperor of Lilliput, attended by several of the

nobility, comes to see the author in his confinement.

The emperor’s person and habit described. Learned

men appointed to teach the author their language. He

gains favour by his mild disposition. His pockets are

searched, and his sword and pistols taken from him.

When I found myself on my feet, I looked about me, and

must confess I never beheld a more entertaining prospect.

The country around appeared like a continued garden, and

the enclosed fields, which were generally forty feet square,

resembled so many beds of flowers. These fields were


intermingled with woods of half a stang, [301] and the tallest

trees, as I could judge, appeared to be seven feet high. I

viewed the town on my left hand, which looked like the

painted scene of a city in a theatre.

I had been for some hours extremely pressed by the

necessities of nature; which was no wonder, it being almost

two days since I had last disburdened myself. I was under

great difficulties between urgency and shame. The best

expedient I could think of, was to creep into my house,

which I accordingly did; and shutting the gate after me, I

went as far as the length of my chain would suffer, and

discharged my body of that uneasy load. But this was the

only time I was ever guilty of so uncleanly an action; for

which I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some

allowance, after he has maturely and impartially considered

my case, and the distress I was in. From this time my

constant practice was, as soon as I rose, to perform that

business in open air, at the full extent of my chain; and due

care was taken every morning before company came, that

the offensive matter should be carried off in wheel-‐


barrows, by two servants appointed for that purpose. I

would not have dwelt so long upon a circumstance that,

perhaps, at first sight, may appear not very momentous, if I

had not thought it necessary to justify my character, in

point of cleanliness, to the world; which, I am told, some of

my maligners have been pleased, upon this and other

occasions, to call in question.

When this adventure was at an end, I came back out of my

house, having occasion for fresh air. The emperor was

already descended from the tower, and advancing on

horseback towards me, which had like to have cost him

dear; for the beast, though very well trained, yet wholly

unused to such a sight, which appeared as if a mountain

moved before him, reared up on its hinder feet: but that

prince, who is an excellent horseman, kept his seat, till his

attendants ran in, and held the bridle, while his majesty had

time to dismount. When he alighted, he surveyed me

round with great admiration; but kept beyond the length of

my chain. He ordered his cooks and butlers, who were

already prepared, to give me victuals and drink, which they


pushed forward in a sort of vehicles upon wheels, till I could

reach them. I took these vehicles and soon emptied them

all; twenty of them were filled with meat, and ten with

liquor; each of the former afforded me two or three good

mouthfuls; and I emptied the liquor of ten vessels, which

was contained in earthen vials, into one vehicle, drinking it

off at a draught; and so I did with the rest. The empress,

and young princes of the blood of both sexes, attended by

many ladies, sat at some distance in their chairs; but upon

the accident that happened to the emperor’s horse, they

alighted, and came near his person, which I am now going

to describe. He is taller by almost the breadth of my nail,

than any of his court; which alone is enough to strike an

awe into the beholders. His features are strong and

masculine, with an Austrian lip and arched nose, his

complexion olive, his countenance erect, his body and limbs

well proportioned, all his motions graceful, and his

deportment majestic. He was then past his prime, being

twenty-‐eight years and three quarters old, of which he had

reigned about seven in great felicity, and generally


victorious. For the better convenience of beholding him, I

lay on my side, so that my face was parallel to his, and he

stood but three yards off: however, I have had him since

many times in my hand, and therefore cannot be deceived

in the description. His dress was very plain and simple, and

the fashion of it between the Asiatic and the European; but

he had on his head a light helmet of gold, adorned with

jewels, and a plume on the crest. He held his sword drawn

in his hand to defend himself, if I should happen to break

loose; it was almost three inches long; the hilt and scabbard

were gold enriched with diamonds. His voice was shrill, but

very clear and articulate; and I could distinctly hear it when

I stood up. The ladies and courtiers were all most

magnificently clad; so that the spot they stood upon

seemed to resemble a petticoat spread upon the ground,

embroidered with figures of gold and silver. His imperial

majesty spoke often to me, and I returned answers: but

neither of us could understand a syllable. There were

several of his priests and lawyers present (as I conjectured

by their habits), who were commanded to address


themselves to me; and I spoke to them in as many

languages as I had the least smattering of, which were High

and Low Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua

Franca, but all to no purpose. After about two hours the

court retired, and I was left with a strong guard, to prevent

the impertinence, and probably the malice of the rabble,

who were very impatient to crowd about me as near as

they durst; and some of them had the impudence to shoot

their arrows at me, as I sat on the ground by the door of my

house, whereof one very narrowly missed my left eye. But

the colonel ordered six of the ringleaders to be seized, and

thought no punishment so proper as to deliver them bound

into my hands; which some of his soldiers accordingly did,

pushing them forward with the butt-‐ends of their pikes into

my reach. I took them all in my right hand, put five of them

into my coat-‐pocket; and as to the sixth, I made a

countenance as if I would eat him alive. The poor man

squalled terribly, and the colonel and his officers were in

much pain, especially when they saw me take out my

penknife: but I soon put them out of fear; for, looking


mildly, and immediately cutting the strings he was bound

with, I set him gently on the ground, and away he ran. I

treated the rest in the same manner, taking them one by

one out of my pocket; and I observed both the soldiers and

people were highly delighted at this mark of my clemency,

which was represented very much to my advantage at

court.

Towards night I got with some difficulty into my house,

where I lay on the ground, and continued to do so about a

fortnight; during which time, the emperor gave orders to

have a bed prepared for me. Six hundred beds of the

common measure were brought in carriages, and worked

up in my house; a hundred and fifty of their beds, sewn

together, made up the breadth and length; and these were

four double: which, however, kept me but very indifferently

from the hardness of the floor, that was of smooth stone.

By the same computation, they provided me with sheets,

blankets, and coverlets, tolerable enough for one who had

been so long inured to hardships.


As the news of my arrival spread through the kingdom, it

brought prodigious numbers of rich, idle, and curious

people to see me; so that the villages were almost emptied;

and great neglect of tillage and household affairs must have

ensued, if his imperial majesty had not provided, by several

proclamations and orders of state, against this

inconveniency. He directed that those who had already

beheld me should return home, and not presume to come

within fifty yards of my house, without license from the

court; whereby the secretaries of state got considerable

fees.

In the mean time the emperor held frequent councils, to

debate what course should be taken with me; and I was

afterwards assured by a particular friend, a person of great

quality, who was as much in the secret as any, that the

court was under many difficulties concerning me. They

apprehended my breaking loose; that my diet would be

very expensive, and might cause a famine. Sometimes they

determined to starve me; or at least to shoot me in the face

and hands with poisoned arrows, which would soon


despatch me; but again they considered, that the stench of

so large a carcass might produce a plague in the metropolis,

and probably spread through the whole kingdom. In the

midst of these consultations, several officers of the army

went to the door of the great council-‐chamber, and two of

them being admitted, gave an account of my behaviour to

the six criminals above-‐mentioned; which made so

favourable an impression in the breast of his majesty and

the whole board, in my behalf, that an imperial commission

was issued out, obliging all the villages, nine hundred yards

round the city, to deliver in every morning six beeves, forty

sheep, and other victuals for my sustenance; together with

a proportionable quantity of bread, and wine, and other

liquors; for the due payment of which, his majesty gave

assignments upon his treasury:—for this prince lives chiefly

upon his own demesnes; seldom, except upon great

occasions, raising any subsidies upon his subjects, who are

bound to attend him in his wars at their own expense. An

establishment was also made of six hundred persons to be

my domestics, who had board-‐wages allowed for their


maintenance, and tents built for them very conveniently on

each side of my door. It was likewise ordered, that three

hundred tailors should make me a suit of clothes, after the

fashion of the country; that six of his majesty’s greatest

scholars should be employed to instruct me in their

language; and lastly, that the emperor’s horses, and those

of the nobility and troops of guards, should be frequently

exercised in my sight, to accustom themselves to me. All

these orders were duly put in execution; and in about three

weeks I made a great progress in learning their language;

during which time the emperor frequently honoured me

with his visits, and was pleased to assist my masters in

teaching me. We began already to converse together in

some sort; and the first words I learnt, were to express my

desire “that he would please give me my liberty;” which I

every day repeated on my knees. His answer, as I could

comprehend it, was, “that this must be a work of time, not

to be thought on without the advice of his council, and that

first I must lumos kelmin pesso desmar lon emposo;” that is,

swear a peace with him and his kingdom. However, that I


should be used with all kindness. And he advised me to

“acquire, by my patience and discreet behaviour, the good

opinion of himself and his subjects.” He desired “I would

not take it ill, if he gave orders to certain proper officers to

search me; for probably I might carry about me several

weapons, which must needs be dangerous things, if they

answered the bulk of so prodigious a person.” I said, “His

majesty should be satisfied; for I was ready to strip myself,

and turn up my pockets before him.” This I delivered part

in words, and part in signs. He replied, “that, by the laws of

the kingdom, I must be searched by two of his officers; that

he knew this could not be done without my consent and

assistance; and he had so good an opinion of my generosity

and justice, as to trust their persons in my hands; that

whatever they took from me, should be returned when I

left the country, or paid for at the rate which I would set

upon them.” I took up the two officers in my hands, put

them first into my coat-‐pockets, and then into every other

pocket about me, except my two fobs, and another secret

pocket, which I had no mind should be searched, wherein I


had some little necessaries that were of no consequence to

any but myself. In one of my fobs there was a silver watch,

and in the other a small quantity of gold in a purse. These

gentlemen, having pen, ink, and paper, about them, made

an exact inventory of every thing they saw; and when they

had done, desired I would set them down, that they might

deliver it to the emperor. This inventory I afterwards

translated into English, and is, word for word, as follows:

“Imprimis: In the right coat-‐pocket of the great man-‐

mountain” (for so I interpret the words quinbus flestrin,)

“after the strictest search, we found only one great piece of

coarse-‐cloth, large enough to be a foot-‐cloth for your

majesty’s chief room of state. In the left pocket we saw a

huge silver chest, with a cover of the same metal, which

we, the searchers, were not able to lift. We desired it

should be opened, and one of us stepping into it, found

himself up to the mid leg in a sort of dust, some part

whereof flying up to our faces set us both a sneezing for

several times together. In his right waistcoat-‐pocket we

found a prodigious bundle of white thin substances, folded


one over another, about the bigness of three men, tied

with a strong cable, and marked with black figures; which

we humbly conceive to be writings, every letter almost half

as large as the palm of our hands. In the left there was a

sort of engine, from the back of which were extended

twenty long poles, resembling the pallisados before your

majesty’s court: wherewith we conjecture the man-‐

mountain combs his head; for we did not always trouble

him with questions, because we found it a great difficulty to

make him understand us. In the large pocket, on the right

side of his middle cover” (so I translate the word ranfulo, by

which they meant my breeches,) “we saw a hollow pillar of

iron, about the length of a man, fastened to a strong piece

of timber larger than the pillar; and upon one side of the

pillar, were huge pieces of iron sticking out, cut into strange

figures, which we know not what to make of. In the left

pocket, another engine of the same kind. In the smaller

pocket on the right side, were several round flat pieces of

white and red metal, of different bulk; some of the white,

which seemed to be silver, were so large and heavy, that


my comrade and I could hardly lift them. In the left pocket

were two black pillars irregularly shaped: we could not,

without difficulty, reach the top of them, as we stood at the

bottom of his pocket. One of them was covered, and

seemed all of a piece: but at the upper end of the other

there appeared a white round substance, about twice the

bigness of our heads. Within each of these was enclosed a

prodigious plate of steel; which, by our orders, we obliged

him to show us, because we apprehended they might be

dangerous engines. He took them out of their cases, and

told us, that in his own country his practice was to shave his

beard with one of these, and cut his meat with the other.

There were two pockets which we could not enter: these he

called his fobs; they were two large slits cut into the top of

his middle cover, but squeezed close by the pressure of his

belly. Out of the right fob hung a great silver chain, with a

wonderful kind of engine at the bottom. We directed him

to draw out whatever was at the end of that chain; which

appeared to be a globe, half silver, and half of some

transparent metal; for, on the transparent side, we saw


certain strange figures circularly drawn, and thought we

could touch them, till we found our fingers stopped by the

lucid substance. He put this engine into our ears, which

made an incessant noise, like that of a water-‐mill: and we

conjecture it is either some unknown animal, or the god

that he worships; but we are more inclined to the latter

opinion, because he assured us, (if we understood him

right, for he expressed himself very imperfectly) that he

seldom did any thing without consulting it. He called it his

oracle, and said, it pointed out the time for every action of

his life. From the left fob he took out a net almost large

enough for a fisherman, but contrived to open and shut like

a purse, and served him for the same use: we found therein

several massy pieces of yellow metal, which, if they be real

gold, must be of immense value.

“Having thus, in obedience to your majesty’s commands,

diligently searched all his pockets, we observed a girdle

about his waist made of the hide of some prodigious

animal, from which, on the left side, hung a sword of the

length of five men; and on the right, a bag or pouch divided


into two cells, each cell capable of holding three of your

majesty’s subjects. In one of these cells were several

globes, or balls, of a most ponderous metal, about the

bigness of our heads, and requiring a strong hand to lift

them: the other cell contained a heap of certain black

grains, but of no great bulk or weight, for we could hold

above fifty of them in the palms of our hands.

“This is an exact inventory of what we found about the

body of the man-‐mountain, who used us with great civility,

and due respect to your majesty’s commission. Signed and

sealed on the fourth day of the eighty-‐ninth moon of your

majesty’s auspicious reign.

Clefrin Frelock, Marsi Frelock.”

When this inventory was read over to the emperor, he

directed me, although in very gentle terms, to deliver up

the several particulars. He first called for my scimitar,

which I took out, scabbard and all. In the mean time he

ordered three thousand of his choicest troops (who then

attended him) to surround me at a distance, with their


bows and arrows just ready to discharge; but I did not

observe it, for mine eyes were wholly fixed upon his

majesty. He then desired me to draw my scimitar, which,

although it had got some rust by the sea water, was, in

most parts, exceeding bright. I did so, and immediately all

the troops gave a shout between terror and surprise; for

the sun shone clear, and the reflection dazzled their eyes,

as I waved the scimitar to and fro in my hand. His majesty,

who is a most magnanimous prince, was less daunted than I

could expect: he ordered me to return it into the scabbard,

and cast it on the ground as gently as I could, about six feet

from the end of my chain. The next thing he demanded

was one of the hollow iron pillars; by which he meant my

pocket pistols. I drew it out, and at his desire, as well as I

could, expressed to him the use of it; and charging it only

with powder, which, by the closeness of my pouch,

happened to escape wetting in the sea (an inconvenience

against which all prudent mariners take special care to

provide,) I first cautioned the emperor not to be afraid, and

then I let it off in the air. The astonishment here was much


greater than at the sight of my scimitar. Hundreds fell

down as if they had been struck dead; and even the

emperor, although he stood his ground, could not recover

himself for some time. I delivered up both my pistols in the

same manner as I had done my scimitar, and then my

pouch of powder and bullets; begging him that the former

might be kept from fire, for it would kindle with the

smallest spark, and blow up his imperial palace into the air.

I likewise delivered up my watch, which the emperor was

very curious to see, and commanded two of his tallest

yeomen of the guards to bear it on a pole upon their

shoulders, as draymen in England do a barrel of ale. He was

amazed at the continual noise it made, and the motion of

the minute-‐hand, which he could easily discern; for their

sight is much more acute than ours: he asked the opinions

of his learned men about it, which were various and

remote, as the reader may well imagine without my

repeating; although indeed I could not very perfectly

understand them. I then gave up my silver and copper

money, my purse, with nine large pieces of gold, and some


smaller ones; my knife and razor, my comb and silver snuff-‐

box, my handkerchief and journal-‐book. My scimitar,

pistols, and pouch, were conveyed in carriages to his

majesty’s stores; but the rest of my goods were returned

me.

I had as I before observed, one private pocket, which

escaped their search, wherein there was a pair of

spectacles (which I sometimes use for the weakness of

mine eyes,) a pocket perspective, and some other little

conveniences; which, being of no consequence to the

emperor, I did not think myself bound in honour to

discover, and I apprehended they might be lost or spoiled if

I ventured them out of my possession.

CHAPTER III.

The author diverts the emperor, and his nobility of

both sexes, in a very uncommon manner. The

diversions of the court of Lilliput described. The

author has his liberty granted him upon certain

conditions.


My gentleness and good behaviour had gained so far on the

emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army and

people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting

my liberty in a short time. I took all possible methods to

cultivate this favourable disposition. The natives came, by

degrees, to be less apprehensive of any danger from me. I

would sometimes lie down, and let five or six of them

dance on my hand; and at last the boys and girls would

venture to come and play at hide-‐and-‐seek in my hair. I

had now made a good progress in understanding and

speaking the language. The emperor had a mind one day to

entertain me with several of the country shows, wherein

they exceed all nations I have known, both for dexterity and

magnificence. I was diverted with none so much as that of

the rope-‐dancers, performed upon a slender white thread,

extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the

ground. Upon which I shall desire liberty, with the reader’s

patience, to enlarge a little.

This diversion is only practised by those persons who are

candidates for great employments, and high favour at


court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are

not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a

great office is vacant, either by death or disgrace (which

often happens,) five or six of those candidates petition the

emperor to entertain his majesty and the court with a

dance on the rope; and whoever jumps the highest,

without falling, succeeds in the office. Very often the chief

ministers themselves are commanded to show their skill,

and to convince the emperor that they have not lost their

faculty. Flimnap, the treasurer, is allowed to cut a caper on

the straight rope, at least an inch higher than any other lord

in the whole empire. I have seen him do the summerset

several times together, upon a trencher fixed on a rope

which is no thicker than a common packthread in England.

My friend Reldresal, principal secretary for private affairs,

is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the second after the

treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a

par.

These diversions are often attended with fatal accidents,

whereof great numbers are on record. I myself have seen


two or three candidates break a limb. But the danger is

much greater, when the ministers themselves are

commanded to show their dexterity; for, by contending to

excel themselves and their fellows, they strain so far that

there is hardly one of them who has not received a fall, and

some of them two or three. I was assured that, a year or

two before my arrival, Flimnap would infallibly have broke

his neck, if one of the king’s cushions, that accidentally lay

on the ground, had not weakened the force of his fall.

There is likewise another diversion, which is only shown

before the emperor and empress, and first minister, upon

particular occasions. The emperor lays on the table three

fine silken threads of six inches long; one is blue, the other

red, and the third green. These threads are proposed as

prizes for those persons whom the emperor has a mind to

distinguish by a peculiar mark of his favour. The ceremony

is performed in his majesty’s great chamber of state, where

the candidates are to undergo a trial of dexterity very

different from the former, and such as I have not observed

the least resemblance of in any other country of the new or

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